PhilHealth sees universal health coverage by 2016

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) will achieve universal health coverage before the end of President Aquino’s term in 2016, Health Secretary Enrique Ona said yesterday.

Ona said that by next year, the number of indigent Filipino families fully covered by PhilHealth through sponsorship would increase to 14.7 million from 5.2 million families.

“This will include the 5.2 million families from Quintile 1 that are already covered by PhilHealth. The rest will come from Quintile 2,” he added.

Quintile 1 refers to the poorest Filipino families identified by the Department of Social Welfare and Development through its National Housing Targeting System (NHTS). Quintile 2, on the other hand, refers to the second poorest families.

Ona said that by 2015, the Department of Health (DOH) is targeting to enroll these families under Quintiles 3 and 4, which also include the poor but informal sectors of society.